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The install on my C7 looks the same with the relief cuts. Honestly, it is something that is hardly noticeable, but if it bothers you, discuss it with your installer.
I never seen relief cuts. My C7 has none and Xpel holding up great after 8 years.
No, it is a good reason to shop around for a quality installer. My PPF saved my front bumper from a shotgun blast of gravel from a flatbed 18 wheeler who pulled over in front of me at 80mph less than 4 months into ownership. Without the PPF my front bumper would've needed a repaint. I will never understand anti-PPF folks.
And the bumper repaint would have cost a lot less than your PPF install.
I've never had PPF installed on any of my vehicles. I don't like the look or the cost. Never had an issue with damage and if I do I can do ALOT of stone and debris damage repair for the price of what PPF cost.
My 2018 Tacoma is almost 4 years old and has 36,000 miles on it and no stone/debris damage.
Now I'm very careful. I keep safe distance from vehicle in front of me (especially dump trucks and flat beds). Try my best to avoid being behind trucks in general. Don't drive in the right most lane whenever possible. And stay off the interstates as long as not inconvenient. And avoid stone driveways and parking lots whenever possible.
Besides, though it reduces risk, there's no guarantee that PPF is going save you from damage. I was speaking with a guy at Carlisle and noticed his C7 GS had PPF and a fresh gash through the PPF about the size of a dime on hood just above the bumper cover. He was hit by a flying chunk of cinderblock from off the back of a truck on the way to Carlisle.
I understand why some get PPF it's just not for me. I don't get why you don't understand why some don't....................
If you look directly across from the top relief cut, you can see THAT radius also has a relief cut but it's on the vertical surface, (where it wouldn't be noticeable), not the horizontal surface. I think THAT'S the way they are supposed to be installed, but the installer didn't stretch it enough and the cut ended up on the horizontal surface.
The shop that installed my Xpel uses the pre-cut pieces. I knew that when I took it to them and asked the owner about it. He told me not to worry that I would never be able to tell and that they can fit the pre-cut pieces on there where I would never see any edges of the PPF. When I went to pick it up we walked around the car and I see no edges. I wouldn't accept that if I were you. From what I understand they get enough film on one end of the pre-cut PPF to be able to fit it and trim it where edges don't show.
I would think precut would be the way to go. I've watched PPF installs and have seen them use a razor blade to cut the product on the car after install. No thanks. Not for me.
You made me go out and look closely at my car as my installer used the precut XPEL.
Mine does have the relief cuts but he must have stretched it more as the relief is actually over the edge onto the vertical and therefore invisible unless you search for it. I think your installer should redo the areas, mine would.
You made me go out and look closely at my car as my installer used the precut XPEL.
Mine does have the relief cuts but he must have stretched it more as the relief is actually over the edge onto the vertical and therefore invisible unless you search for it. I think your installer should redo the areas, mine would.
And the bumper repaint would have cost a lot less than your PPF install.
I've never had PPF installed on any of my vehicles. I don't like the look or the cost. Never had an issue with damage and if I do I can do ALOT of stone and debris damage repair for the price of what PPF cost.
My 2018 Tacoma is almost 4 years old and has 36,000 miles on it and no stone/debris damage.
Now I'm very careful. I keep safe distance from vehicle in front of me (especially dump trucks and flat beds). Try my best to avoid being behind trucks in general. Don't drive in the right most lane whenever possible. And stay off the interstates as long as not inconvenient. And avoid stone driveways and parking lots whenever possible.
Besides, though it reduces risk, there's no guarantee that PPF is going save you from damage. I was speaking with a guy at Carlisle and noticed his C7 GS had PPF and a fresh gash through the PPF about the size of a dime on hood just above the bumper cover. He was hit by a flying chunk of cinderblock from off the back of a truck on the way to Carlisle.
I understand why some get PPF it's just not for me. I don't get why you don't understand why some don't....................
The main reason I don't get why some don't like PPF is the fact that repairing damage to the paint requires respraying. I dont care what anyone says, unless you take a car to a very detail oriented custom shop, resprays are ALWAYS noticeable when compared to factory repaint. I can cover an entire C8 all painted surfaces with a quality custom PPF job for 7k to 8k. That same quality respraying the entire car would be 10k-15k.
My recent front bumper shotgun gravel blast experience is a perfect example. Respraying the front bumper would've costed at least 600 if not more. And if done to my standards to match the factory paint imperceptibly, it would've definitely been more than the $800 I paid (well, my insurance paid) to replace the PPF on the front bumper. I am very, very glad I opted to PPF the car because that amount of damage to the paint through no fault of my own would have been a nightmare. He pulled out in front of me and did the damage in 5 seconds before I could drop back and move clear of the assault. The PPF was a godsend.
That is not normal above your headlight. Your installer did not stretch the material properly. Start with the dealer as that is who you paid. He might not know that the installer is not doing a good job.
The main reason I don't get why some don't like PPF is the fact that repairing damage to the paint requires respraying. I dont care what anyone says, unless you take a car to a very detail oriented custom shop, resprays are ALWAYS noticeable when compared to factory repaint. I can cover an entire C8 all painted surfaces with a quality custom PPF job for 7k to 8k. That same quality respraying the entire car would be 10k-15k.
My recent front bumper shotgun gravel blast experience is a perfect example. Respraying the front bumper would've costed at least 600 if not more. And if done to my standards to match the factory paint imperceptibly, it would've definitely been more than the $800 I paid (well, my insurance paid) to replace the PPF on the front bumper. I am very, very glad I opted to PPF the car because that amount of damage to the paint through no fault of my own would have been a nightmare. He pulled out in front of me and did the damage in 5 seconds before I could drop back and move clear of the assault. The PPF was a godsend.
PPF in my opinion is a waste of money. I just sold my 2020 with 20,000 miles on it There was one chip on the mirror that I got driving it back to Nebraska from Museum delivery. I have sold a few Corvettes in my time to online dealers and the one question I am never asked does it have ppf. The only time I had it done was on my 2015 Z06. By the time I drove it back from Montana the piece under the drivers side door was flapping in the breeze. I said never again. That was five Corvettes ago and I have saved myself thousands of dollars.
Last edited by robertbruce; 04-03-2022 at 06:16 PM.
I don't believe someone would do that kind of job. Just ask for all your money back, I'm not sure If I would let the person who installed it uninstall it. If by chance the shop that installed it has to remove it, I would be recording the whole process from start to finish. Some time dealers recommend shops and it's a win win for them and the shop. You need to go over the whole entire car with a fine tooth comb and a battery powered flood light to really see how the ppf film is applied along the edges , if all your edges look like your headlight area you need to find another shop. I would present the areas to the dealer circled with crayon to mark the areas in question. Take pictures ETC, use a crayon and find all the areas. No corvette should look like your corvette. Is the whole car done or just the front? ****All the edges should not be able to be seen, they should be hidden, the film should roll over the edge. It appears to be Precut ppf pieces, with non precut pieces you have as much material as you need.
If you ever have windows tinted most shops do it fee hand vs using precut film.
Last edited by Sunwarrior; 04-03-2022 at 04:30 PM.
04-03-2022, 09:42 AM
at 130mph no one will notice
